l putnam



Nn. 623,S60. Paten'tad Apr. 25, i899.

' G. L. PUTNAM.

MAGAZINE BOLT GUN.

(Applicatinn Bled Nov. 14, 1895.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR y? @Mam ATTURNEYJ- Nrrnn Smarts AtrNr innen@ GEORGE L. PUTNAM,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MAGAZINE BOLT-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,960, dated April25, 1899-.

Application filed November 14, 1895. Serial No. 568,990. (No model.)

To all whont it 77u07/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LINCOLN PUT- NAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing in the city, cou uty, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rapid- FiringMagazine- Arms, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to magazine breechloading bolt-guns, andparticularly to those in which the bolt and its actuating device arereeiprocatory to open and close the breechaperture and are contained andmove within the receiver.

Myinvention comprises the several combinations of parts and deviceshereinafter set forth and described and as more particularly recited inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of amagazine breechloadingbolt-gun containing my invention and showing theparts in position immediately after a discharge. Fig. 2 is a similarview of the same, but showing the breech-bolt retracted, as in theoperation of ej ecting a shell and reloading the tiring-chamber. Fig. 3is a transverse vertical section on line III,Fig.1. Fig. Il is a similarview on line IV, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view on line V, Fig. l.Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section on line VI, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa side elevation in detail of a portion of the gun. Fig. 8 is atransverse vertical section on line III, Fig. l, looking rearwardly; andFig. 9 is a similar view on said line looking forwardly.

The devices and means shown in the drawings and hereinafter describedare such as may be employed in carrying out my invention; but I do notlimit my invention to the particular construction of the said devicesand means delineated.

A portion of the stock l is in the form of a metal casing 2, in which isthe breech-aperture 3 and which incloses the receiver 5, while thebarrel, in which is the firing-chamber, is shown at 4t.

The breech-bolt 6 may have a usual form of extractor 7 and seats in thebreech-aperture to the rearward of the firing-chamber, and when thusseated fits at its rearward end to and against a shoulder S on thereceiver-casing. The bolt is capable of a vertical and reciprocatorymovement in the receiver to unseat it from the shoulder S and retractand project it in the operation of reloading. To aetuate the bolt, Iemploy a frame comprising` a plate 9, inclin ed to the horizon tal planeof the longitudinal axis of said bolt, and a front limb 2O and rear limb@supporting said plate and capable of reciprocatory movement in thereceiver, as on ways la, carried by a plate 15, adapted to close theunder side of the receiving-casing and removable to allow the bolt andconnected mechanism to be taken out of the receiver. The bolt isprovided with means to engage the under face of Jthe inclined plate 9,preferably in the form of projections lO on the opposite lateral sidesof the bolt and desirably, as illustrated, on the said sides 0f arearwardly and downwardly extending arm ll, fixed on the bolt and whichenters and plays in a slot l2 in the inclined plate 9. It is evidentthat a rearward movement of the described frame on its ways willoperate, by

the engagement of the projections l0 on thel bolt with the under face ofsaid inclined plate 9, to depress the rear end of the bolt and disengageit from the shoulder 8, and that the continued rearward movement of saidframe will, by the engagement of the said projections on the bolt withthe forward limb 2O of the frame, retract the bolt in the receiver, sothat said bolt may perform the functions of opening the breech-apertureand extracting and ejecting a shell from the firing-chamber.

The bolt is guided in its movements by grooves 2l in the receiver-casingengaged by trunnions 22 on the sides of the forward end of the bolt andby ribs 23 on said receivercasin g engaged by projections 24 on thesides of the rearward end-of the bolt. The guides 23 are parallel indirection with the ways 14E excepting at their forward ends, where theymay be curved or inclined, as at 25, to aid in depressing the rearwardend of the boltin its retraction. The guides 2l are inclined rearwardlyand downwardly from the firing-chamber to the main chamber of thereceiver, so as to direct the forward end of the bolt upwardly into thebreech-aperture when the bolt is projected and to direct the rearwardend of the bolt downwardly into the main or rearward chamber of thereceiver when said bolt is retracted, as in Fig. 2. As the bolt reachesIOO this latter position the rear lower edge of the extracted shellstrikes against a spring-actuated ejector 2G of any known form, such asthat illustrated, which will cause the shell to be thrown out in theusual manner. It will be understood that the ejecting mechanism shown isnot essential to the novel features of my invention; but that mechanismmay be employed to eject the shell laterally or in any other desiredmanner. Upon the ejection of a shell the topmost cartridge in themagazine, as hereinafter more particularly described, will be forcedupward into the path of the bolt in its projection movement, Fig. 2, soas to be thereby carried forward from the magazine into thefiring-chamber in the well-known manner.

The bolt ispreferably provided wit-h means to engage and traverse theupward face of the inclined plate 9 and to detachably det-ain therearward end of the bolt at a point thereon below the upward end of saidinclined plate while the bolt is projected toward the breech-aperture,and said means may be in the form of shoulders 53, projecting laterallyfrom the rearward depending arm ll of the bolt and adapted to lie uponand ride over the upward face of the inclined plate 9 and to catchagainstaside of notches 52 in thelowerpart of said upward face when aprojection movement of the bolt by its actuating-frame is begun, andthereafter when the bolt is arrested in its said movement byirnpingcment of its forward end against the wall of the `tiring-chamberto escape said notches and traverse the upper part of said upward faceof the inclined plate 9. The engagement of said shoulders 53 with saidnotches 52 will operate, during theprojection of the bolt toward thebreech-aperture, to force the bolt forward along its guides 23 insteadof pressing it upward against said guides, thereby promoting ease ofmovement of the mechanism in thc projection of the bolt. When the boltreaches the breech-aperture, the further forward movement of theactuating-frame will force the shoulders 53 out of thc notches 52, andthe traverse of said' shoulders over the upper part of said upward faceof said inclined plate 9 will aid in tilting the rear end of the boltupwardly into the breech-apertu re and against the shoulder 3.

The plate l5, carrying the ways 14 for the bolt-actuating frame, has atits forward end hooks 1U, Fig. 7, adapted to engage over pins l7, fixedin the stock or casing, while at its rear end the plate is secured by asliding ring 18 on the stock and which is adapted to pass overit. Byfirst retracting the bolt and then slipping the ring from over the endof said plate the latter can be withdrawn from the receiver, carryingwith it the bolt and its connected parts as a single train of mechanism.

To constitute an effective slide-bearing for the actuator-frame on itsway 14, I form lateral recesses 19, Fig. 5, in the frame-limbs 20 and 4Sto receive and play on said ways in the reciprocatory movements of saidframe. The

forward limb of the frame also serves to en gage the projections lO onthe bolt at the conclusion of the downward traverse thereby of the underface of the plate 9, and thus to retract the bolt as the said frame isdrawn rearwardly on its ways.

The described sliding frame,which actuates the breech-bolt, as setforth, comprises an extension 13, which projects from the main frame,preferably as a continuation of the limbs 2O and 48 thereof, to theexterior of the receiver, and there constitutes a guard for the trigger,with a portion of said extension, opposite to its junction with saidmain frame, reaching beyond the trigger, as in the direction below thereceiver, and said extension 13 is shaped in any form convenient to begrasped by the hand for performing the operation of loading and firing.

rlhe firing-pin 27 has longitudinal movement with the bolt and isactuated by a spring 28, arranged in a chamber 29 in the bolt andbearing against a shoulder 30 on said pin. The sear 3l is located in achamber 32 in the bolt and is pivotally mounted on a pin 32, reachingtransversely of the bolt and through slots 33 in the bolt-walls and withits ends engaging longitudinal grooves 34 in the receivereasing, thesaid grooves forming part of the guides 2l, already described, exceptthat they are deeper than the latter, so that shoulders 35 areconstituted to arrest the ends of the pin 32 as the bolt is projected,thereby holding the sear stationary at that point vwhile the boltcontinues its projection to close the breech-aperture. A means ofengagement between the pin and scar being provided, as by forming a hook3G thereon and providing the sear with a shoulder 37, the firing-pinwill be arrested with the sear and held, with its impelling-springtensioned, until the sear is released. Upon such release the firing-pinwill be impelled forward upon and explode a cartridge in thefiring-chamber. To enable the rear end of the bolt to be thrown upwardinto place, as already described, the grooves 34 are formed withulnvardly-extending recesses 3S to accommodate the ends of the scar-pin32. In retraeting the bolt the sear is held stationary by stops 39 onthe interior of the receiver, adapted to engage the ends of said pin.The sear is normally pressed upwardly by a forked spring 40, engagingbeneath it and mounted on the bolt. The tail 4l of the sear extendsdownward beyond the bolt and is adapted to reach through and play in aslot 42 in the sliding frame, so that its extremity may be engaged bythe trigger.

The trigger 43 is fulcrumed in and travels with the sliding frame. inthe position shown in Fig. l, the gun is cocked and the pulling of thetrigger will cause a forward operation of its scar-engaging arm 44 toengage said sear, thereby oscillating the latter to release theiiringpin. I prefer to provide the trigger with the laterallysexltending fulcrum-arms 45, adapted to rest upon Vhen the parts arelIO theways 14 andimmediately un der a lever 46, which is slotted at 47 topermit the passage through it of the trigger-arm 44 and which is pivotedto the rearward limb 4S of the sliding frame and pressed downwardly by aspring 49, so that the trigger will be held in normal position with itsarms 45 in Iiat contact with the ways 14, while sufficient oscillationof the trigger will be permitted for the operation of the sear,asalready described. In order that the arm 11 may not interfere with theopera-- tion of the trigger, it is slotted to permit the trigger-arm 44to extend through it, Figs. 2 and 5.

The sliding frame, including its extension 13 for the manipulationthereof, is provided with means for locking the frame to the receiverwhen the frame and its bolt are projected and the latter is seated inthe breechaperture and adapted to release the frame from the receiveronly after the gun has been fired. This means may be constituted by aprojection 50 on the lever 46, adapted to engage a notch or notches 51in the ways 14. Then the frame and its bolt are projected, theprojection 50 will engage the notch or notches 51 and lock the parts inthe position shown in Fig. 1. When the trigger is pulled and the searthereby released, the continued pull on the trigger will operate, by itsarms 45, to raise the lever 46 against its spring and withdraw theprojection 50 from the notch or notches 51, thereby permitting theretraction of the frame and the bolt by the manipulation of theextension 13.

To secure freedom of movement on the sliding frame in its reciprocation,it is desirable that the grooves 21 be slightly flared or widened fromthe front toward the rear and that the ways 14 be also slightly flaredor increased in thickness in the same direction.

The magazine is preferably formed of thin sheet metal constituting sidewalls 54 and a bottom 55, together with aforward end tongue 56 andrearward end flanges 57 to hold the contained cartridges fromlongitudinal movement therein. There are thus left spaces 5S at thefront and 59 at the rear of the magazine, giving elasticity to the sidewalls, which when the magazine is empty incline toward each other, asshown in Figs. S and 9, and are forced to parallel position by insertedcartridges, as shown. A spring 61 of any well-known form for thispurpose serves to hold the cartridges` against the in turned edges 60 ofthe walls 54. As the breech-bolt in its projection movement engages theuppermost cartridge in the magazine to force it to the firing-chamber,the walls 54 will yield sufficiently to permit said cartridge to escapeforwardly from under the said edges 60 of said walls.

Means are provided for adjusting the magazine in the receiver relativelyto the bolt and firing-chamber so that the gun may be used either as arepeater or single-loader. These means may consist of exteriorprojections 62, Figs. 3 and S, on the magazine, preferablyin the form ofyielding tongues cut from the side walls, and inwardly-projectingshoulder 63 on the casing, adapted tobe engaged by the projections 62when the magazine is seated in the casing with the uppermost cartridgetherein below the range of the breech-bolt, together withspring-controlled supports 64, Fig. 3, adapted to be engaged by theprojections 62 on the magazine when the latter is raised in the casingto bring the uppermost cartridge into said range of the breech-bolt.

When the magazine is held in adjustment by the shoulders 63, asdescribed, the gun may be used as a single-loader, the magazine beingkept in reserve. When it is desired to use the gun as amagazine-repeater, it may be adjusted as such by a simple blow with thehand upon the bottom of the magazine, which will thrust the sameupwardly to engagement of the projection 62 with the supports 64.

Then the contents of the magazine is eX- hausted, the walls 54 willautomatically collapse toward each other, thereby disengaging theprojections 62 from the supports 63 or 64, as the case may be, andpermitting the magazine to drop out of the casing, whereupon a freshcharged magazine may be therein inserted.

It is to be observed that the described connection between thebreech-bolt and its actuating sliding frame is of s uch a character thatthe Sear cannot be engaged by the trigger and the gun consequentlydischarged until the breech-bolt is fully projected and is locked inposition in the breech-aperture. The employment of any safety-catch forthis purpose is thusobviated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a breech-loading gun the combination with abreech-bolt, having atailpiece at its rearward end, of a reciprocatory breechbolt actuatordirectly engaging said tailpiece of said bolt.

2. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a breech-boltreciprocatory Within the receiver, of a breech-bolt actuator, alsoreciprocatory Within the receiver, and comprising a plate having dualsurfaces which are respectively on opposite sides thereof, and inclinedto the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of said bolt, togetherwith means on said bolt to respectively engage and traverse the saidsurfaces on the said opposite sides of said plate.

3. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a breech-boltreciprocatory Within the receiver, of a breech-bolt actuator, alsoreciprocatory within the receiver, and comprising a plate having dualsurfaces which are respectively on opposite sides thereof and inclinedto the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of said bolt, togetherwith means carried by said bolt at its rearward end to respectivelyengage and traverse the said surfaces on the said opposite sides of saidplate.

4. In a breech-loading gun, the combina- IOO IIO

tion with a breech-bolt reciprocatory within the receiver, of abreech-bolt actuator, also reciprocatory within the receiver, andcoinprising a plate the under and upper surfaces of which are inclinedto the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of said bolt, togetherwith projections and Shoulders on the bolt to respectively engage andtraverse said under and upper surfaces of said plate.

5. In a breeclrloading gun, the combination with a breech-boltreciprocatory within the receiver, of a breech-bolt actuator, alsoreciprocatory Within the receiver, and comprising a plate the under anduppersurfaces of which are inclined to the horizontal plane of thelongitudinal axis of said bolt, and the upper surface of which isprovided with a notch or depression near its forward and lower. end,together with projections on said bolt to engage and traverse the undersurface of said plate during the projection and retraction movements ofsaid bolt b y said actuator, and shoulders, also on said bolt, totraverse the upper surface of said plate during` said movements of saidbolt and its actuator, and to detachably engage said notch or depressionin said upper surface during the projection movement of said bolt by itssaid actuator toward the breech-aperture.

G. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a breech-boltreciprocatory Within the receiver, of a breech-bolt actuator, alsoreciprocatory within the receiver, composed of a frame comprising aplate inclined to the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of thebolt, and a forward and rearward limb upholding said plate and mountedto slide on ways in the receiver, together with means on the bolt toengage and traverse the under face of said plate during the iirst partof a rearward movement of said actuator to unseat the bolt from thebreech-aperture, and to engage said forward limb of said actuator-'frameduring the succeeding part of said rearward movement of the actuator toretract the bolt from said aperture.

7. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a breech-boltreciprocatory within the receiver, of a breech-bolt actuator, alsoreciprocatory within the receiver, and comprising a plate Which isinclined to the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis. of the bolt,together with a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm lon the rearwardend of said bolt, and means carried by said arm to engage and traversethe under face of said plate. f

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE L. PUTNAM.

\Vitnesses:

II. N. Low, E. L. TODD.

